Venice


Venice is a city in northern Italy, in the Veneto region. The City stretches across 118 small islands in the marshy Venitian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The saltwater lagoon stretches along the shoreline between the mouths of the Po and the Piave Rivers.

The Republic of Venice was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto. It was also a very important center of commerce (especially silk, grain, and spice trade) and art from the 13th through the end of the 17th century.

During the 20th centruy, due to artisian wells, Venice began to sink. Today, the city is still threatened by frequent low-level floods that creep to a height of several centimeters. In many old houses the former staricases used by people to unload goods are now flooded. Many Venitians have resorted to moving to the upper floors and continuing with their lives. Some reports have suggested that Venice is no longer sinking, however this has not been proven and the state of alert has not yet been revoked.

Currently there is an on-going experiment which uses inflatable pontoons laid across the sea bed to block the incoming water from the Adriatic Sea. This is set to be completed in 2011. Many say that the best way to protect Venice is to physically lift the City by pumping water into the soil underneath the city.

Venice is world-famous for its canals. The islands on which the city is built are connected by about 400 bridges. In the old center, the canals serve the function of roads, and all transportation is either on water or by foot. There is now a railway station, an automobile causeway, and a parking lot in Venice which serve as entrances to the city, but all transporation within the city remains on water or by foot. Venice is Europe’s largest urban car free area.

The classical Venetian boat is the gondola, although today it is primarily used for tourists, weddings, or other ceremonies. The majority of Venetians now travel via waterbuses. The city also has many private boats.

Venice is filled with wonderful sites to see. It has countless museums, as well as palaces, churches, and bridges.



End Notes:
“Venice”.
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 22 July 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Venice&oldid=303607699 >